Lock for radiator caps



J une 30, 1925.

K. E. STANT ET AL LOCK FOR RADIATOR CAPS Filed March 18 1924 A u I u I I I I I I I I I I 1 1 1 u l I I a fl 1 1 1 I I I I I u v ili Patented .done 39, 1925.

KYLE E. $TANT IVAN H. STANI', OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO THE TAN'L' MACHINE CGMPANY, OF CONNEBSVILLE, INDXANA, A. GORPGRATION OF INDIANA.

GCK FOR RADIATOR ICAPS.

Application filed March 18, 1924. Serial No. 700,153.

To `all whom it may camera;

Be it known that we, KYLE E. STANT and IVAN H. STANT, citizens of the United States, residing at Connersville, in th-e county of Fayette and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks for Radiator Caps, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relatcs to devices for locking radiator caps, together With applianes carried by the caps such as temperature 1ndicators, emblemsand the like, it more particularly relating to a lock which is attached to the under side of the cap and is insertable within the neck of the radiator.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide improved means for securing the looking devices to the cap such that removal the-reof is prevented under normal conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lock of the character referred to Which Will more readily accommodate itself to radiator necks of difierent depths, or to the different locations of radiator baflle plates, and also one which will permit the cap t be removed from the radiator neck for fi ling purposes and at the same 'time support the same in raised position and in a ma-nner to prevent the cap and appliance carried thereby from coming into contact With the radiator or engine hood.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for automatically locking a cross bar at 'the lower end of the locking` devices.

In the accompanying drawings:

vFig. 1 is a vertical section of a portion of the radiator, its neck and the improved looking devices, the radiator cap and indicating instrument being partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to view 1 but showing the looking devices in side elevation and also showing the cap unscrewed and removed from the neck, illustrating the manner of supporting the cap and its appliances during the filling operation.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the holder and its rotatable nut.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the holder and its nut.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the cross-bar and its supporting member, showing the looking devices for the bar.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. f

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents portion of the upper part of an automobile radiator and 2 the neck. The cap is indicated at 3 and adapted to be screwed on the upper end of the neck in the usual way. In the present case the cap is shown equipped With a temperature indicating instrument or mounting, a portion of Which is indicated at 5, this instrument being Secured to the cap in the usual manner and having a stem or nipple 5' which is screwed through the cap so as to project into the air spacebelow the same; 6 representing an extension of the stem Which contains the usual temperature responsive element.

`What we term the holding member is indicated at 7, this member being of tubular' form and provided with a series of openings 8 to permit entrance. of the vapor so that the vapor may be brought into intimate contact with the temperature responsive element in the casing 6. The upper portion of this holding member 7 is provided With a shoulde-r 9 Fig. 4 for detail) upon which is rotatably mounted an interiorly threads-d member 10 which will be called the nut.

The extreme upper edge .of the member 7 is spun or swaged to eng-age an annular shoulder 11 on the nut to retain the nut in position but permit its rotation. Extending from the shoulder 9 of this-holding member 7 vertically into the walls thereof are two diametrically-opposite pockets 12 each containing a loose pin 13, and formed in the lower face of the nut are recesses 14, preferably two in number. vThe stem 5" is threaded and to apply the holding member to thisv i restored to normal position the pins 13 will fall by gravity to the bottom of the pockets 12 so that any subsequent rotation of the holding member 7 will be independent of the nut 14, it being thereafter impossible to unscrew the nut 13 without again inverting the parts.

Mih

lVhat We term an intermediate member is indicated at 15, this intermediate member being also of tubular form and' provided at its upper end With a reduced neck 16' and rounded lhead 16, Which head fits the bore of the holder 7, in a. manner to per- .mit a free rocking movement of the holder 18' which snugly fits the bore of the mem-.

ber 15, ina manner to permit it to slide freely therein, but at the same time hold the tWo members rigidly in alignment. The member 18 has formed thereon intermediate its ends a tapered annular recess 19 to provide a Ishoulder 19', and below this Vrecess and shoulder there is formed a central vertical slot 20. Pivotally mounted in the slot 20 is a cross-bar 21, the pivot pin being indicated at 22, this cross bar being provided With a central upwardly projecting extension 23 of substantially the same width as the slotted portion of the member 18. Slidably mounted on the slotted portion of the member 18 is a sleeve l21 of spring material, the upper ortion of Which is inturned and provic ed With a plurality of slits to form a series of spring fingers 25.

.The operation is as follows: After the holder has been attached to the stem 5' of the indicating instrument in the manner before described, the sleeve 24 is pushed upwardly to clear the extension 23 of the cross-bar \vhereupon the cross-bar may be tilted to the position shown in F ig. 5.l The looking devices can then be inserted through the neck of the radiator and the cross-bar tilted back to horizontal position and theaccomplished by hanging the lower edge 17 of-the holder 7 on the upper edge of the radiator neck, which is pel'mitted by the reduced neck 16', the cross bar 21 automatically engaging the lower edge of the neck to hold the head 16 in proper position.

By reason of the fact that the members 15 and 18, as well as rounded head 16, its.

neck and the cross-bar 21 are of rigid construction, the tilting of the cap Will be re-l iamaeoa stricted When -suspended over the radiator neck in the manner described, and the head and appliances carried thereby prevented from falling over onto the radiator or hood.

By means of the arrangement described of connecting and diseonnecting the holder 7 and nut 10, the cap and indicating instrument may be readily disconnected after the same have been inverted by removing and inverting the radiator. By employing the two telescopic sections 15 and 18 provision is made for adjustment as to height to accommodate the device to necks of different depths and also to the batlle plate B of the radiator and this arrangement, in connection With the rounded head 16, provides a rigid support for the cap and instrument during the filling operation, permitting the cap and its appliance to tilt about the head 16 and hang over the upper edge of the neck Without striking the radiator or hood, the lower edge of the member 7 hooking over the upper edge of the radiator neck as shownin Fig. 2.

Whilcflve have shown the radiator cap in the present case equipped With a. temperature indicator, it is to be undcrstood that the looking devices described are equally applicable to looking in position a cap alone or a cap carrying an cmblem of some sort,

or other device, it only being necessary for the purpose to equip the under surface of the cap With a threaded extension, which may be an integral part of the cap or may be a separated stemV screwed into the cap or otherwise Secured thereto. v Having thus described our nvention, we claim:

1. Ina `lock of the character described, a member adapted for attaclnnent to a mounting having an attaching means extending through the radiator cap, a nut rotatably carried by said member, but otherwise in fixed relation thereto, adapted to be screwed to said attaohing means, said member and nut being provided with recesses adapted to register with each other, and a gravity actuated looking member mounted in one of said recesses and adapted to slide into looking engagement with the other recess When said device is out of normal position, and slide out of engagement therewith for permitting the free rotation of said nut With respect to said member When the device is in normal position.

2. A lock of the character described consisting of a` rigid holding member, a crossbar carrying member, and an intermediate member, means for connecting said holding member tona reniovable element to be locked, means for connecting the intermediate member to said holding member in a manner to permit the holding member to tilt with respect'to the intermediate member, means for slidably connectingthe cross-bar carrying member and said intermediate member, a cross-bar pivoted to said carrying member, and means for locking said cross-bar in horizontal position.

3. In a lock of the character described, a tubular holding member, means for attaching said member to a mounting having an attaching means extending through the radiator cap, a Ahollow tubular intermediate member having a hemi-spherical rounded head fitted Within said holding member, a cross-bar carrying member slidably mounted in said intermediate member and maintained in parallel relation therewith, a crossbar pivoted to said carrying member, and means for locking said cross-bar in horizontal position.

4. In a lock of the character described, a member adapted for attachment to a mounting having an'attaching means extending through the radiator cap, a nut rot-atably carried by said member but otherwise in fixed relation therewith, and means for locking said nut against rotation relatively to said member when said member is moved out of normal position and automatically releasing rotation relative to said member from said nut when the parts are restored to normal position.

5. In a lock of the character described, a member adapt/ed for attachment to a mounting having an attaching means extending through the radiator cap, a nut rotatably carried by `said member but otherwise in fixed relation therewith, and gravity operated means for connecting and disconnecting said melnber and nut With respect to their relative rotation.

6. In allock of the character described, a member adapted for attachment toa mounting having an attaching means extending through the radiator ca a nut rot-atably carried by said member ut otherwise fixed thereto, said member having a pocketland a loose pin in said pocket, said nut having a recess arranged to register With said pocket, Whereby When the arts are moved out of normal position sai pin Will act by gravity to enter said recess and connect the member and nut together and release the member from the nut with respect to their relative rotation When the parts are restored to normal position.

7. In a lock of the character described, a member, adapted for attachment to a mounting having an attaching means extending through the radiator cap, means for attaching said member to said mounting positioned at one end thereof, and a restricted opening at the other end, a stem telescopically mounted in said member, a looking member mounted on one end of said stem and an enlarged annular head rigidly connected with the other end of said stem having a reduced neck portion and a spherical portion adapted to seat and be engaged by the reduced portion of said member and be held thereby against removal, whereby said stem will have a universal movementiwith respect to said member when in extreme outer position, and will be slidably held in telescopic relation therewith 'When in the other position.

8. In a lock of the character described, a member adapted for attachment to a mounting having an attaching means. extending through the radiator cap, having a restricted opening at one end thereof, a nut rotat-,-

ably carried by said member at the other end thereof but otherwise in fixed relation thereto, adapted to be screwed to said radiator mounting, said member and nut being provided with recesses adapted to register with each other, and a gravity-actuated looking member mounted in one'of said recesses and adapted to slide into looking engagen'ient with the other recess when said device is out of normal position, and slide out of engagement therewith for permitting the free rotation of said nut when the device is in normal position, a stem telescopically mounted in said member, a locking member mounted on one end of' said stem, and an enlarged ann-ular head rigidly connected with the' other'end ,of said stem having a reduced neck portiou and a spherical portion adapted to seat and be engaged by the reduced portion of said member and be held thereby against removal, \vhereby said stem will have a universal lnovement with respect to said member when in extreme outer position, and will be slidably'heldin telescopic relation therewith when in the other position.

9-. In a locking device of the charac-ter described, the combination, With a radiator neck and its cap. of a rigid holding member together Withmeans for connecting the same to said cap, a second rigid member loosely connected to said holding member in a manner to permit said holding member to rock in any direction relatively to said second member, the lower end of said holding member adjacent the pointI of connection With said second member being projected beyond said second member so as to form an annular surface Which is adapted to rest upon the upper edge of said neck When said cap is detached from said neck and raised therefrom, and a looking member carried by said second member adapted to engage the lower edge of said neck when the cap is in raised position.

10. In a locking device of the character described, the combination` With a radiator neck and its cap, of a rigid holding member, together With means for connecting the same to said cap, a second rigid member having a rounded head fitted to the lower end of said holding member in a manner to permit said holding member to rock in any direction v described, the combination, With a radiator neck and its cap, of a rigid holding member together with 'means for connecting the same to said cap, a second rigid member having a rigid reduced neck and rounded head, said head being fitted to the lower end ofs'aid `holding member in a manner to permit said holding member to rock in any direction relatively to said second member, the lower end of said holding member adjacent said head forming an annular surface enoircling said head, Which surface is adapted to rest upon the upper edge4 of said neck when said cap is detached from Asaid neck and raised therefrom, a third rigid member slidably connected with said second member, and a looking member carried by said third member adapted to engage the lower end of said neck when said cap is in raised position.

12. In a lock of the character described, devices adapted for attachment to a radiator cap and comprising a rigid member insertable Within the radiator'neck, a cross bar pivoted to said member, said cross 'bar having a projection normally lying within the confines of said rigid member, a looking member slidably mounted on said rigid member to engage said extension and lock 1,54s,soa I said crossbar when slid to looking position, and interengagin means between said rigid member and sai looking member to hold said looking member in 'lockin position.

13. In alock of the character escribed, devices adapted for attachment to a radiator cap and comprising a ri id member insertable within the radiator nec a cross-bar pivoted to said member, said oross-bar having a central extension normally lying within the confines of said rigid member, a sleeve slidably mounted on said rigid member to enclose said'extension and look the 'cross-bar, a. depression formed on said rigid member to provide a shoulder, and a spring finger on said sleeve to engage beneathV said shoulder when said sleeve is moved to looking position.

14. In a look of the character described, devices adapted' for attachment to a radiator cap and. comprising a rigid member insertable within the radiator neck, said rigid member having a slot in its lower end, a cross-bar extendin through said slot and pivoted to said 'rigid member, said cross-bar iaving'a central extension normally lyin within said slot, a sleeve sl-idably mounte on said rigid 'member to enclose said extension and look said cross-bar, an annular depression fox-med on said rigid member to provide. a shonlder, and a series of spring ingers on the upper end of said sleeve to engage beneath said shoulder when said sleeve is moved to looking position.

In testimony-Whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 27th day of February, 1924. I i

KYLE E. STANT. IVAN H. STANT. 

